From the Publisher
Sublime…Colgan infuses her latest book with humor, wit, suspense and a perfectly cast love triangle.” — USA Today on The Christmas Bookshop
“The Christmas Bookshop is literary hot chocolate with a bourbon shot: hot, sweet but with a surprising emotional kick. Colgan has woven together the ingredients for a fiendishly addictive festive romantic comedy.” — The Times (UK)
“Colgan’s new Edinburgh-set Christmas novel is full of references to books, descriptions of the twisty insides of a bookshop, and fun details about Scotland, Quakerism, and the centuries-old Great Yew Tree of Ormiston. Get ready to root for these charming characters as they bungle their way toward a merry Christmas.” — Library Journal (starred review) on The Christmas Bookshop
“Colgan’s writing is gentle and tender… At the heart of The Christmas Bookshop are the important connections we make with others and the reality that we don’t have just the family we were born into; we also have the family that we create through those we come to love. And in every charming story that Colgan writes, we end up feeling that those characters who grace her pages have become so familiar and dear to us that they are family.” — Bookreporter.com
“The Christmas Bookshop was a feel-good holiday novel about a group of people—some related, some not—who learned what family truly means, what they themselves were capable of, and how Christmas can be a magical time of the year…[By] the final page, readers will be happy with how everyone pulls together in a time of need and the amount of joy and love that shines through Colgan’s storytelling.” — Harlequin Junkie
Library Journal
09/01/2023
Colgan returns to Edinburgh-based McCredie's bookshop and the messy life of its manager, Carmen Hogan, in this sequel to The Christmas Bookshop. Carmen is worried about her relationship with Oke, who's planning a long trip to Brazil, the bookshop's continuing financial struggles, and its owner's sudden interest in selling the shop to the obnoxiously wealthy Jackson McClockerty in order to fund his own trip to Antarctica. With plenty of problems to solve, Carmen has a long Christmas wish list. Although this title is a sequel, it can be enjoyed on its own or out of order with minimal impact on the festive feelings created. Returning fans will still be rooting for the slightly clueless but relatable Carmen, her powerhouse sister and family, and all the dear friends previously made on Victoria Street, plus a few new characters who introduce satisfying surprises. By balancing the focus between saving the bookstore and working on Carmen's personal relationships, Colgan always presents a reason to read one more chapter. VERDICT Readers looking for a chance to escape their own holiday hubbub will find a perfect respite in spending quality time with Carmen at McCredie's splendidly decorated bookshop.—Stacey Hayman
NOVEMBER 2023 - AudioFile
Narrator Eilidh Beaton wraps listeners in a warm Christmas blanket while introducing the delights of an Edinburgh holiday. Beaton chronicles Carmen's difficult year--her breakup with her Brazilian boyfriend, Oke, and her struggle to keep Mr. McCredie's ancient bookshop solvent. Every character becomes a person listeners will want to meet. From the tacky businessman Jackson McClockerty to Carmen's sister's roguish "manny," Rudi, no one escapes Beaton's attention. Beaton perfectly evokes Carmen's four nieces and nephews, in particular, officious Pippa and earnest Phoebe, who serve as sibling foils. Carmen's many worries sound both funny and heartfelt. The story, whose plot rises and falls like Edinburgh's hilly streets, is both a paean to the city and a nod to how its contemporary inhabitants find meaning during the Christmas holidays. C.A. © AudioFile 2023, Portland, Maine
